Inner-tire valve



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0 OIIIIIIIIIIOIIIIIilIrf/H D. M'ARRAZZO INNER TIRE VALVE Filed oct. v, 1925 March 29 1927.

ATTORNEY DamenicoA Marrazzo Patented Mar. 29, 1927.

UNITED STATES- rarest carries.

NNElv-TIRE VALVE. p

Application filed October 7, 1925.

This invention relates to inner tubes for automobiles and particularly to those of the type wherein the riding properties are not destroyed when punctured.

This invention contemplates the provision of an inner tube having a plurality of independent cells or compartments readily inflatable from a common source and means for rendering each of the cells independent of the others in so far as the accidental deflation thereof is concerned. The various Iobjects of my invention will be clear from the description which follows and from the drawings, in which,

Fig. 1 is a partial vertical section of my improved inner tube and of the valve controlling the passage of air to and from the various cells.

Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the air con` trolling means.

Fig. 3 is a central vertical section of the same.

Fig. i is a vertical section of a part of the tube valve, and

Fig. 5 is a bottom plan view of the auX- iliary tube valve.

In the illustrated embodiment of my invention the inner tube casing 10 yof the usual type is provided With a number of prcferably parallel partions 11 so arranged as to provide a number of air containing cells or compartments 12 of substantially equal volume designed to hold in all about half of the air in the tube. rlhe side cells or compartments 13 included between the outermost partition 11 andthe side Wall. of the tube casing 10 are each preferably made larger in volume than the compartments 12, while the cell or compartment 15 is made largestof all. It Will be understood that the side cells 13 being arranged on the sides of the tire tube are less subject to puncture by the penetration of foreign objects through the outer tire tread and the tube casing 10, than are these cells 12. the outer Walls of which are arranged in juxtaposition to the Wearing surface of the outer tire tread. Said cells 13 are, therefore, preferably made somewhat larger than the cells 12, and are designed to contain about 13 per cent of the total volume of air in the tube. The preferably cylindrical Wall 14 is arranged substantially perpendicularly to the Walls 11 and provides a compartment 15 which is inflatable preferably to a volume substantially onethird or more of the Serial No. 60,943.

volume of the entire tube. It Will be understood that the compartment 15 is less subject to deflation by reason of punctures because of the protection of the curved Walls thereof by the Wheel rim and because the Wall 14- of said compartment is also substantially entirely protected. Each of the compartments 12 and 13 are connected by means of a suitable iieXible tube 16 having a passage therethrough of proper diameter t0- a cap as 17 which is preferably of flexible material, such as rubber- Said cap is substantially of the shape of a hollow cylinder having a closed end 18 and provided with a series of openings as 19 in the Walls thereof each communicating with the interior of one of the tubes 16. A.. sufficient number of openings 2O communicating directly With the compartment 15 are also provided in the vvall Iof said cap to inflate said compartment at substantially the same rate as the compartments 12 and 13 are inflated. It Will be understood that the various tubes 16 and openings 20 are so proportioned as to number and size as Will allow the various compertinents to be iniiated simultaneously aty may be secured to the tube 10 in the usual manner, and is closed at its upper end as by means of a suitable closure member 22. Said member is provided With a. series of openings as 23 extending from the outer surface of said member to the bottom thereof as is clearly shown in Fig. 3. and is preferably externally threaded as at 24- for attachment to the upper end of the valve cylinder 21. It Will be understood7 however. that if desired said closure member 22 and said valve cylinder may be made in one piece. The material about each one of the openings 23 is so arranged as to provide a, substantially cylindrical extension 25 projecting from the outer Wall yof the member 22 about each one of the openings 23. The cap 18 is forced over the outer wall yof the member 22 With the openings 19 and 2O thereof in registration With the openings 23 of the member 22. Due to the resiliency of the material of which said cap 18 is made, said cap contracts sufficiently to cause the extensions 25 to` rod be prevented from turning.

21 is arranged the valve control 26 which isV so mounted as to allow rotation thereof about lsaid valve cylinder while longitudinal movement thereof is prevented. For this purpose, the said cylinder is provided with a groove 27, into which the upper end 23 of the valve control 26 is forced, whereby said valve control is allowed to rotate without possible movement in any other direc tion. Said valve control 26 is made hollow and is provided with an internally threaded opening 29 in the extension 31 projecting the wall 30 of said valve control, said extension having openings therein. rlhe valve rod 32 is externally threaded at the lower end thereof and engages the threads of the opening 29. VIt will be seen that on the rotation of the valve control 26 the valve rod 32 is moved longitudinally provided that said itV the upper end of the valve rod is secured the valve disc 33 as by means of the internally threaded cylinder 311 connected to said disc by suitably spaced ribs 35 which allow air topass therebetween toward or from the openings 23. The valve disc may be covered with a disc as 3G of flexible material and is adapted to abut against the under face of the member 22, and to completely close the lower ends of the openings 23 when said discs are moved into their uppermost positions. Lugs as 38 on said valve cylinder operate in the grooves 39 in said discs and serve to prevent rotation of said discs on the operation of the valve control 26. A. suitable dust cap as 37 is arranged to enclose the valve cylinder, and the parts carried thereby completely for preventing the entrance of dirt and dust thereinto.

When it is desired to inflate my improved tube the dust cap 37 is removed andthe valve control 26 rotated in the proper direction to lower the rod 32 Vand the valve discs 33 and 36 carried thereby, whereby communication is established between the interior of the valve cylinder 21 and the openings 23. Air may then be pumped through the holes inthe extension 31 into the valve cylinder 21, and through the openings 23, and the tubes 16 and the openings 19 and 2O to the'various compartments 12, 13 and 15 of the inner tube. J@after the compartments have been inflated to the Vproper air pressure the valve control 26 is then rotated in the proper direction to move the valve disc 3G into closing position to close off the openings 23, whereby deflation and further inflation of the inner tube is prevented. lt will be understood that the various openings 19, 2O and 23 and the various tubes 16 are so proportioned that inflation of the tube compartments takes place at a uniform rate, though it will be further understood that during the process of inflation of the tubethe air pressure in the various compartments is automatically regulated by the inter-communication thereof when the valve disc 36 is 1n its inoperative position.

In the modifications shown in Figs. a 'and 5 provision is made against the loss of air from the inner tube during the interval between the opening and closing of thervalve disc 36. This device is useful when it desired to use a hand pump to pump up the tire. The means for accomplishing the re- 41. Should it be desired at any time to de i iiate the tube for any reason, the valve control 26 is operated in the usual manner to remove the valve 36 from its seat and the valve e() is removed from its seat by manually pressing th-e rods i3 projecting through the openings l5 against the action of the spring 41.

It will be seen that should any ofthe compartments be punctured after the valve 36 has been raised into its operative position, only the punctured compartment can be deflated and that the remaining compartments contain suificient air to enable the tire to be used without serious loss of eiiicicncy. It will further be seen that I have provided an improved valve capable of iniiating the various compartments uniformly and normally preventing inter-communication between said compartments so that said compartments are caused to act entirely independently of each other, It will further be seen that my improved tire is simple and efficient and well adapted to meet the hard conditions of practical use.

It is not intended that my invention be limited to the specific application thereof illustrated as it will be evident that various changes therein may be made without departing from the scope of my invention as set forth in the appended claims.

l claim:

1. A valve for an inner tubecomprising a valve cylinder, a closure for said cylinder containing a plurality of openings, flexible tubes forming air passages from said openings, and a bodily movable member in said cylinder for controlling the opening and closing of all of said openings simultaneously.

2. In a valve for an inner tube, an inner closure member having a series of openings therein, a cap for said valve having openings in registration With the openings in said member, fiexible tubes at the openings of said cap, and a valve disc for controlling the simultaneous opening or closingv of all of said openings.

3. A valve for an inner tube, having a plurality of independentcompartments, including valve mechanism having a `series of openings therein communicating with sait compartments and a valve in said mechanism for controliing the passage of air through all of said openings simultaneously in either direction.

A valve for allowing the inflation of all of the cells of a cellular inner tube simultaneously comprising a valve cylinder having a closed end provided with a series of openings therein, a flexible cap having a series of openings therein adapted to register with the openings in the closed end of said valve cylinder, a series of flexible tubes permanently secured to said cap at certain or said openings in said cap, unitary means for controllingall of the openings in the closed end of said valve cylinder simultaneously and movable spring-pressed means for normally closing the outer end of said cylinder.

5. The combination with a hollow valve cylinderl for a cellular inner tube, of a closure at one end of the. said cylinder having a series of openings therein, means normally closing said openings for preventing passage of air between the cells of said tube and the interior of said valve cylinder in either direction, rotatable threaded means for manipulating said closing means for exposing said openings when desired, and a spring-pressed disc means for normally preventing the passage of air past the other end of' said valve cylinder.

6. An air valve for a cellular inner tube comprising a valve cylinder having a closed end provided with a series of openings therein communicating with the cells of said tube, a valve disc arranged in the interior of said cylinder for controlling the passage of air in either direction through all of said openings, and a manually operable valve control rotatably mounted on said cylinder and operatively connected to said valve disc.

7. The combination of a valve cylinder for an inner tube having a. closed end provided with a series of openings therein with means for controlling the passage of air through all of said openings in either direction, a rotatable member for operating said controlling means, and spring-pressed means for normally closing the outer end of said cylinder for preventing inflation and deflation of said tube when said controllingmeans is in that position wherein air is allowed to pass through said openings.

8. In a valve for an inner tube, a valve cylinder having a closed end provided with a series of openings therein, a valve disc, and means for moving said valve disc toward and from said openings for closing and for opening all of said openings simultaneously.

9. A valve for an inner tube comprising` a valve cylinder having a closed end provided With openings communicating With the interior of said tube, a valve disc, a rod on and arranged centrally of' said disc, a control member at the other end of said cylinder, operatively connected to said rod for moving said rod and said valve bodily, whereby said openings are opened and closed, and means carried by said control member for normally closing the outer end of said cylinder.

l0. A valve for an inner tube comprising a valve cylinder having a closed end provided With a series of openings a flexible removable valve cap on said cylinder having openings in registration with the openings of said end, flexible tubes at certain of said cap openings, a valve disc for controlling the passage of air through said openings in either' direction simultaneously, a control member for said disc mounted on the other end of said valve cylinder, and an auxiliary spring pressed valve for normally preventing passage of air through said control member.

Signed at New York city this third day of October, 1925.

DOMENICO MARRAZZO. 

